Door closing connection

ABSTRACT

A door lock for frontally loading a washing machine, a drier or similar devices, which is mounted on the machine front wall, wherein said door lock comprises a stop knob and a locking segment provided with an undercut, the front wall comprises an aperture and a stop opening, the locking segment, in the operating position thereof, is connected by behind to the opposite edges of the aperture and the undercut, and the stop knob is inserted into the stop opening. The peripheral contour of the undercut is at least partially rounded, thereby enabling the locking segment to be rotatable in the aperture.

The invention relates to an arrangement of a door lock of a frontloading door of a washing machine, a drier or the like on a front panelof the machine, the door lock comprising at least one stop knob and alocking portion with a catch opening for a hook on the loading door andwith an undercut, and the front panel having an aperture and a stopopening, the locking portion, in its operating position penetrating theaperture, gripping opposing edges of the aperture from behind with theundercut and the stop knob fitting into the stop opening. The inventionalso comprises a corresponding assembly method.

An arrangement of this type is known from EP 1 418 266 A2. It comprisesa fastening portion which likewise has an opening for receiving a hookin the loading door. A salient rectangular frame encloses the opening.At the transition of the frame to the fastening portion, the frame hastwo grooves lying opposite to one another and running parallel which canengage two edges, likewise lying opposite to one another, of an openingin a front panel of the washing machine. In addition, the fasteningportion has two elastically arranged pins which project from thefastening portion in the same direction as the salient frame. When thedevice is assembled, they engage in corresponding holes in the frontpanel. Finally, elastic spring means are arranged on the fasteningportion which are designed to compensate for play between the groovesand the edges of the opening in the front panel with which they engagewhen the device is assembled. To assemble the device, the rectangularframe is inserted, with a first edge initially inclined, into theopening in the front panel such that an edge of the opening engages withone of the two grooves. This makes it possible for the salient frame todrop fully into the opening such that the fastening portion liesparallel with the front panel. The fastening portion is now just pushedback in the plane thereof such that the opposite edge of the openingengages with the other of the two grooves. In this position, in whichthe fastening portion is held by the locking of the elastic pins intothe holes in the front panel, the salient frame thus grips the back ofthe opening along two of its edges. In order to assemble the fasteningportion, it is therefore necessary for the distance from the bottom ofthe one groove to the edge of the salient frame opposite to it not toexceed the distance between the opposing edges of the opening that aredesigned to engage with the grooves. In the lateral direction runningorthogonally thereto, in which the salient frame has no grooves, thedistance between its edges corresponds to the distance between the edgesof the opening. When the device is assembled, they respectively come torest against one another. Since the salient frame does not overlap theseedges, visible gaps can arise here for the user.

The object of the present invention is to indicate an improvedarrangement of a door lock which provides secure assembly and ease ofproduction.

According to the invention, the undercut of the arrangement specified inthe introduction has to this end an at least partially roundedperipheral contour that enables rotation of the locking portion in theaperture. The door lock is thus initially assembled precisely as in theprior art. However, in order to lock the stop knob, the door lock isrotated about, for example, 90°. The rotation of the locking portionprovides a secure undercut during the assembly of the door lock.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a single stopknob can be arranged for fixing the operating position of the door lock.The production cost in respect of the door lock can be reduced bymanaging without a second and further stop knobs.

The mutually interacting outlines of the aperture on the one hand and ofthe locking portion on the other can assume almost any geometric shape.The proportions firstly in respect of a square aperture interacting witha rectangular locking portion are presented as a first option below andthen in respect of a rectangular aperture interacting with a rectangularlocking portion as a second option. The features reproduced here canalso be applied and transferred by analogy to other geometric shapes forthe respective outlines, for example to a circular or ellipticalaperture that interacts with an elliptical locking portion.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the inventivearrangement, it may have a square aperture, the length of a lateral edgeof which corresponds to the largest dimension of the undercut shapedefined by the peripheral contour. The undercut shape is by this meansfixed in a first direction when fully assembled inside the aperture, andin the second direction running orthogonally thereto, in which theundercut shape has initially to be displaceable for assembly purposes,its position is determined by the stop knob.

In a square aperture, a peripheral contour consisting essentially ofcurvatures is suitable. According to a further advantageous embodimentof the invention, the peripheral contour may therefore be composed of asemicircular arc on the one hand and of the flatter portion of asemielliptical arc on the other. Such an undercut shape has as itslargest dimension a diameter with a length of twice the radius. Theshortest diameter of the undercut shape, which enables movement of theundercut shape inside the square aperture during assembly, runs in thelateral direction, orthogonal thereto.

According to a second design option, a rectangular aperture with longerand shorter lateral edges and a rectangular or square locking portioncan interact. A rectangular locking portion with longer and shorterlateral edges is preferably used because it offers more favorablegeometric proportions. According to such an embodiment of the invention,the length of the longer lateral edges of the aperture can correspond tothe length of the shorter lateral edges of the locking portion. Theaperture consequently encloses a smaller area than the locking portion.After the insertion and rotation of the locking portion, this lockingportion thus overlaps the aperture fully such that no undesired gapsremain visible from one viewing side.

In this second design option, the same undercut shape can in principlebe used as is known from the first option. According to an advantageousembodiment of the invention, however, the largest dimension of theundercut shape can correspond to the longer lateral edge of theaperture. This dimensioning restricts the rotatability of the undercutshape inside the rectangular aperture. In this way, for example, therotation required for assembling of the door lock can be restricted interms of its direction and the angle swept in the process. The assemblyrotation can advantageously be restricted to 90°, for example.Stipulation of the direction of assembly rotation may be necessary inorder to preclude incorrect assemblies or because, for reasons of space,rotation in a different direction is not desired. The undercut shape canby this means also form limit stops which produce precisely definedcontact surfaces of the undercut shape inside the aperture. They ensurethat the locking portion is held in the aperture with no play.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, theperipheral contour of the undercut shape may be based upon a rectangularwith a length corresponding to the length of the shorter lateral edge ofthe aperture. Instead of two opposing corners, it can have curvatures,the radius of which corresponds to half the length of the shorterlateral edge of the aperture. This undercut shape fixes its rotationaldirection in the direction of its rounded comers. In addition, it can berotated only about 90°. In the position of a 45° rotation, it utilizesthe total length of the aperture, because the diagonal dimensionapproximately corresponds to the length of the aperture. In theoperating position, i.e. after a rotation about 90°, the undercut shapethan lies with the two shorter lateral edges of the original square incontact over their entire length with the longer lateral edges of theaperture. By this means, two opposite and parallel contact surfaces areproduced which ensure that the locking portion is held in the aperturein a clearance-free and precisely defined manner. The locking portioncan then be displaced only in a direction parallel to these contactsurfaces. In this direction, however, the stop knob fastens it as soonas it has been inserted into the stop opening.

The contact surfaces can also be fashioned selectively such that in theoperating position they do not run exactly parallel to the correspondinglateral edges of the aperture. The stop knob then has to be insertedinto the stop opening under pretension. This deliberate imperfectionproduces an initial tension of the locking portion in the aperture whichprevents possible play about the axis of assembly rotation as well as inthe direction of this axis. Additional spring elements or the like whichhave to compensate for tolerances between locking portion and apertureare then indispensable.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the stop knob iselastically mounted. This facilitates assembly of the door lock andprevents deformations on the front panel of the machine duringinstallation.

The stop knob interacts with a stop opening. For ease-of-productionreasons, the stop opening has a circular periphery, and the stop knobconsequently a circular cross-section. According to an advantageousembodiment of the invention, the stop knob can have a cross-section thatdeviates from the circular cross-section. The stop opening must ofcourse also be fashioned correspondingly. This arrangement prevents to alarge extent rotation of the stop knob in the stop opening such thatwobbling and rattling of the door lock is consequently virtually ruledout.

The object is also achieved in a method for assembling a door lock of afront loading door of a washing machine, a dryer or the like on a frontpanel of the machine, in which the door lock is inserted with a lockingportion into an aperture on the front panel, then rotated into itsoperating position, and locked in the operating position on the frontpanel.

The principle of the invention will be explained by way of example ingreater detail below with reference to drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a section from a front panel of a washing machine accordingto a first design option,

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a door lock,

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the door lock as per the sectional lineIII-III in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the door lock as per the sectional lineIV-IV in FIG. 3,

FIGS. 5 to 8 show sectional views of the door lock according to FIG. 3in various positions during installation,

FIG. 9 shows a section from a front panel of a washing machine accordingto a second design option,

FIG. 10 shows a plan view of a door lock,

FIG. 11 shows a sectional view of the door lock as per the sectionalline X-X in Figure III, FIG. 12 shows a sectional view of the door lockas per the sectional line XI-XI in Figure IV,

FIGS. 13 to 15 show sectional views of the door lock according to FIG.12 in various positions during installation.

FIG. 1 shows a section from a front panel 1 of a washing machine in theregion of a loading opening. The loading opening is lockable by means ofa loading door (not shown). The front panel has a square aperture 2 withequally long horizontal lateral edges 3, 3′ and vertical lateral edges4, 4′, each of length A, and a stop opening 5. They serve for fasteninga door lock 10 (shown in the further figures) which interacts with ahook (likewise not shown) on the loading door. FIG. 1 offers a view ofthe front panel from the inside 6 thereof, opposite to which lies anoutside 7 visible only in FIGS. 5 to 8.

FIG. 2 represents a plan view of the door lock 10. For the sake ofsimplicity, only the particular part of the door lock 10 is shown whichserves in fastening it, and this is shown as an approximately cubic body11. The remaining attaching parts for, for example, a locking mechanismfor blocking the door release have been omitted. The body 11 supports alocking portion 12 which has a funnel-shaped catch opening 13. The hook(not shown) of the loading door engages with the catch opening 13. Thelocking portion 12 has a rectangular periphery with horizontal lateraledges 14 of edge length B and vertical lateral edges of edge length C.The length C of the edge 15 corresponds approximately to the length A ofthe edges 3, 3′, 4, 4′ of the aperture 2. The length B of the lateraledge 14, on the other hand, is greater than the length A of the edges 3,4.

A stop knob 16 having a circular cross-section is arranged next to thelocking portion 12 on the body 11. The diameter of said knob correspondsto that of the stop opening 5.

On the body 11, a bevel 17 with respect to the locking portion 12 isarranged opposite the stop knob 16. It can be seen more clearly in FIG.3 which corresponds to a sectional view along the sectional line III-IIIin FIG. 2. It undercuts the locking portion 12 such that it forms aprojection 18 of depth D. Together with a flange 19 produced as a resulton the locking portion 12 it encloses an angle a. It continues in acirculating undercut between the locking portion 12 and the body 11which on the side of the locking portion 12 opposite the projection 18opens into an indentation 20 having a return 21 of depth E.

The undercut is not fashioned regularly but has a changing depth alongits course. This gives rise to an irregularly shaped peripheral contourof the undercut. FIG. 4, which represents a section along the sectionalline IV-IV in FIG. 3, shows it in a plan view. The peripheral contour 30surrounds two portions of the body 32, 32, lying next to one another,which have differing shapes. They are separated from one another by alateral axis a and are respectively fashioned symmetrically with regardto a longitudinal axis b. They have the same width along the lateralaxis a as the edges 15, 15′. Along the longitudinal axis b, on the otherhand, the portion of the body 31 has the smaller depth F and the portionof the body 32 the greater depth G. There, the contour 30 thustouches—viewed two-dimensionally—the edges 14 lying opposite each otherat the points 33. At precisely these points 33 the lateral axis a alsocuts the edges 14 and the contour 30, and the longitudinal axis b cutsthe contour 30 at the points 34 and 35.

In the portion of the body 32, the peripheral contour 30 constitutes asemicircular arc of radius R₁. The radius R1 corresponds to the length Gand is half as long as the length C of the edges 15, 15′. Thus, twicethe length of the radius R₁ also corresponds approximately to the lengthA of the edges 3, 3′, 4, 4′ of the aperture 2. The semicircular arcabout the portion of the body 32 has the shortest distance to thelateral edge 15 at point 35. The distance has the length E andcorresponds to the depth of the notch 20 (FIG. 3).

On the portion of the body 31, on the other hand, the peripheral contour30 is fashioned elliptically. Its course there is defined by threedifferingly large radii R₂, R₃ and R₄. The contour 30 has in itselliptical section on the portion of the body 31 the shortest distanceto the edge 15′ at point 34. This distance corresponds to the depth D ofthe projection 18 (FIG. 3).

The extent F of the portion of the body 31 along the longitudinal axis bis thus shorter than the extent G of the portion of the body 32. Theshorter segment F together with the depth E of the indentation 20corresponds to the length G. In order to assemble the door lock, it isnecessary for the sum of the segment F, the segment G and the depth E tobe at most equal in length to the lateral length A of the squareaperture 2, because the locking portion 12 could not otherwise beinserted into the aperture 2 in the manner shown later. Per se, thedimension of the length D is almost arbitrary. Here, it corresponds totwice the depth E. Accordingly, the sums of the lengths D and F on theone hand and of G and E on the other are identical, such that thehorizontal axis a constitutes an axis of symmetry of the locking portion12 and its point of intersection with the longitudinal axis bsimultaneously constitutes the center of gravity. The segments F and Gtogether with the lengths D and E yield the length B. The peripheralcontour 30 is thus asymmetrically arranged relative to the lockingportion 12 such that the contour has a distance D from the edge 15′ atpoint 34 that is twice the distance (E) from the edge 15 at point 35.

FIGS. 5 to 8 below are intended to clarify the assembly process. FIG. 5shows a starting position of the door lock 10 in a first assembly step,in which it is inserted from the inside 6 thereof into the front panel 1in the direction of the arrow R. The front panel 1 is to this end viewedin a sectional view according to the sectional line V-V in FIG. 1. Thedoor lock 10 is arranged with an inclination relative to the front panel1 at the aperture 2 such that the locking portion 12 is firstly insertedwith the portion of the body 31 into the aperture 2, the edge 3 of theaperture 2 drops fully into the undercut between the bevel 17 and theflange 19 and comes to rest at point 34 on the peripheral contour 30. Inorder for the edge 3 to be able to engage at all with the undercutrunning horizontally on the locking portion 12, the bevel 17 is arrangedon the front edge of the locking portion 12 in the direction of thearrow R. It lies flush against the inside 6 of the front panel 1 in theregion of the edge 3. The locking portion 12 thus undercuts with itsprojection 18 the edge 3 such that the flange 19 comes to rest againstthe outside 7 of the front panel 1. Because the edges 3, 3′ have thesame length as the edges 15, 15′, the edges 14, 14′ of the lockingportion 12 running at a right angle thereto rest against the edges 4, 4′of the aperture 2. The locking portion 12 is thus held immovably in adirection parallel to the lateral axis a in the aperture 2. In thisposition, the door lock 10 has an inclination relative to the frontpanel 1 that corresponds to the angle a (FIG. 3). This position is shownin FIG. 6.

The door lock 10 is then lowered in the direction of the arrow S on tothe front panel 1 such that the locking portion 12 also drops with theportion of the body 32 into the aperture 2. This is possible because thepart of the locking portion 12 dropping into the aperture has the depthF of the portion of the body 31, the depth G of the portion of the body32 and the depth E, which together correspond to the edge length A ofthe aperture 2. The stop knob 13 still prevents in this position thedoor lock 10 from resting with its body 11 flush against the inside 6 ofthe front panel 1 (FIG. 7). It is, however, a prerequisite in order forthe return 21 to be able to undercut the edge 3′. To enable this, eithera deformation of the front panel 1 has to be accepted or the stop knob16 has to be elastically mounted.

In order to bring the door lock 10 into its operating position accordingto FIG. 8, it has to be rotated out of its position according to FIG. 7about a 90° rotation. In the process, the point of contact of theundercut with the edge 3, which lay previously at point 34, moves alongthe peripheral contour 30 to one of the points 33. Only when thequadrant rotation is complete, i.e. the stop knob 16 engages with thestop opening 5, does the door lock 10 rest flush against the inside ofthe undeformed front panel 1.

FIG. 8 represents the operating position of the door lock 10. Its viewcorresponds to the sectional line VIII-VIII in FIG. 1. The lockingportion 12 in this position now no longer undercuts the front panel 1with its projection 18 and its return 21 in the region of the edges 3,3′, but in the region of the edges 4, 4′. The edge 4 now penetrates theindentation 20 of the undercut. The projection 18 of the aperture 2opposite the indentation 20 is slightly withdrawn from the undercut inthe region of the bevel 17. An unwanted displacement of the door lockalong this path during operation is, however, prevented by the fit ofthe stop knob 16 in the stop opening 5, so that the position of the doorlock 10 inside the aperture 2 in the direction of the longitudinal axisb is precisely defined and fixed. In the direction of the lateral axis arunning perpendicular thereto, the peripheral contour 30 rests at thepoints 33 respectively against the edges 3, 3′ of the aperture 2 with nopossibilities of movement.

FIGS. 9 to 15 show an alternative embodiment of the door lock connectionaccording to the invention. In a front panel 40, which in FIG. 9 can beviewed from a front side 45, in place of a square aperture, arectangular aperture 41 is now arranged with lateral edges 42 and 43.The shorter lateral edge 42 has the length K, the longer lateral edge 43the greater length L. Arranged next to the aperture 41 is a, likewisecircular, stop opening 44.

FIG. 10 shows an associated door lock 50. It likewise has a body 51, alocking portion 52 with a funnel-shaped catch opening 53. The lockingportion 52 has a rectangular outline with longer lateral edges 54 oflength I and shorter lateral edges 55 of length M. A stop knob 56 isarranged next to the locking portion 52. The body 51 likewise has abevel 57, above which a projection 58 on the locking portion 52projects. The sectional view along the line X-X, which FIG. 11represents, does not differ in principle from the sectional viewaccording to FIG. 3. Only the shape of the undercut which begins betweenthe bevel 57 and behind the projection 58, runs around the lockingportion 52 and opens into an indentation 59 on the opposite side, has aperipheral contour 70 which can only be seen in FIG. 12 and deviatesfrom the previous exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 12 offers a sectional view along the sectional line XII-XII in FIG.11. This section is traced in the plane of the undercut and also recordsthe stop knob 56. The sectional view according to FIG. 12 thus providesa view, seen as it were from the direction of the body 51. The lockingportion 52 forms with its longer lateral edges 54 of length I and itsshorter lateral edges 55 of length M a rectangle. Arranged thereupon isan undercut shape 71 with the peripheral contour 70. The undercut shape71 has an essentially rectangular shape with the longer lateral edges 72and the shorter lateral edges 73. The longer lateral edges 72 have thelength O, the shorter lateral edges 73 the shorter length N. Therectangle on which the undercut shape 71 is based is rounded at twodiagonally opposite corners 74, with the radius R5 that corresponds to alength O/2. For assembling the door lock 50, the diagonal dimensions ofthe undercut shape 71 are also of significance. The longer diagonal 75of the undercut shape 71 has the length P, the shorter diagonal 76 thelength Q. Since the diagonal 76 is determined from the radius R5, itslength Q corresponds to twice the length of the radius R5. Since thisradius in turn makes up half the length O, the length Q and the length Oare thus identical. The diagonal 76 consequently has the same length asthe longer edge 72 of the rectangle on which the undercut shape isbased.

The following dimensions are also important for assembling the door lock50: the length P of the diagonal 75 of the undercut shape 71 is slightlysmaller than the length L of the edge 43 of the aperture 41. Inaddition, the length O of the longer edge 72 of the undercut shape 71essentially corresponds to the shorter lateral length K of the edge 42of the aperture 41.

The significance of this dimensioning will be illustrated in FIGS. 13 to15 below, in which the assembly of the door lock 50 on the front panel40 is represented. In principle, it occurs in the same steps as wereexplained in FIGS. 5 to 8. Supplementary reference will also be made tothese below. FIG. 13 represents a first assembly step in which thelocking portion 52 is already inserted in the aperture 51 and theprojection 58 is already undercutting the front panel from the outside46 thereof. The assembly status in this diagram thus correspondsapproximately to the diagrams in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the first exemplaryembodiment in which the stop knob 56 prevents the door lock 50 fromresting flush against the inside 46 of the front panel 40.

FIG. 14 represents a rotational image of the door lock 50 which isrotated in a direction opposite to the direction of the arrow T shown inFIG. 7, toward its operating position, which is represented in FIG. 15.The rotation is made possible by the rounding off of the opposingcorners 74. In interaction with the rectangular aperture 41, this designstipulates a rotation in a clockwise direction. Stipulation of adirection of rotation of the door lock 50 may be necessary in order,e.g. to rule out assembly defects on the inside 45 of the front panel 40if spatial conditions in the region of the door lock 50 are cramped.With the locking portion 51 in the position shown in FIG. 14, thediagonal 76 of the undercut shape 71 extends over the total shorterwidth K of the aperture 41, the longer diagonal 75 filling the totallength L of the undercut 41.

In FIG. 15, the door lock 50 has reached its end position and thus takenup its operating position. So that it is no longer dislodged from thisposition, the stop knob 56 engages in the aperture 44. The undercutshape 71 comes to rest with its opposing parallel lateral edges 73against the longitudinal edges 43 of the aperture 41. They define theposition of the door lock 50 in a lateral direction. In this lateraldirection, the locking portion 52 covers the aperture 41 with its edgeregions 77. In a longitudinal direction at a right angle thereto, bycontrast, the lateral edges 55 of the locking portion 52 and the lateraledges 42 of the aperture 41 coincide. The stop knob 56 engaged in thestop opening 44 secures the door lock 50 against displacement of thelocking portion 52. The door lock 50 is thus fixed, non-displaceably inany direction, in the aperture 41.

Since the preceding arrangements, described in detail, of door lockconnections are exemplary embodiments, they can to a broad extent bemodified in a usual manner by a person skilled in the art, withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. In particular, the specificembodiments of the shapes of the locking portion can be executed in adifferent form from that described here where this is necessary forspatial or design reasons. Furthermore, the use of the indefinitearticle “a” does not exclude the possibility of a plurality of thefeatures concerned being present.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS FOR FIG. 1 TO FIG. 8

-   1 front panel-   2 aperture-   3, 3′ horizontal lateral edge-   4, 4′ vertical lateral edge-   5 stop opening-   6 inside-   7 outside-   10 door lock-   11 body-   12 locking portion-   13 catch opening-   14, 14′ horizontal lateral edges-   15, 15′ vertical lateral edges-   16 stop knob-   17 bevel-   18 projection-   19 flange-   20 indentation-   21 return-   30 peripheral contour-   31 portion of the body-   32 portion of the body-   33 point on the contour 30-   34 point on the contour 30-   35 point on the contour 30-   A edge length of the aperture 2-   B edge length of the edges 14, 14′-   C edge length of the edges 15, 15′-   D depth of the projection 18-   E depth of the indentation 20-   F depth of the portion of the body 31-   G depth of the portion of the body 32-   R direction of assembly-   S direction of assembly-   T direction of rotation-   a lateral axis-   b longitudinal axis-   R1 radius of semicircle-   R2, R3, R4 radii of ellipses

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS FOR FIG. 9 TO FIG. 15

-   40 front panel-   41 aperture-   42 horizontal lateral edges-   43 vertical lateral edges-   44 stop opening-   45 front side-   46 rear side-   50 door lock-   51 body-   52 locking portion-   53 catch opening-   54 horizontal lateral edges-   55 vertical lateral edges-   56 stop knob-   57 bevel-   58 projection-   59 indentation-   70 peripheral contour-   71 undercut shape-   72 longer lateral edges-   73 shorter lateral edges-   74 corners-   75 longer diagonal-   76 shorter diagonal-   77 lateral overhang-   I longer lateral length of locking portion 52-   H depth of indentation 59-   M shorter lateral length of locking portion 52-   N shorter lateral length of undercut shape 71-   O longer lateral length of undercut shape 71-   P length of longer diagonal 75-   Q length of shorter diagonal 76

1-10. (canceled)
 11. An arrangement of a door lock of a front loadingdoor of a laundry appliance including at least one of a washing machineand a dryer and having a front panel, the door lock comprising: a stopknob and a locking portion with an undercut, the front panel having anaperture and a stop opening, the locking portion penetrating theaperture in its operating position; grips opposing edges of the aperturefrom behind with the undercut and the stop knob fits into the stopopening; and wherein the undercut has an at least partially roundedperipheral contour enabling a rotation of the locking portion in theaperture.
 12. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, further comprisinga single stop knob for fixing an operating position of the door lock.13. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a squareaperture, wherein the largest dimension of the undercut shape defined bythe peripheral contour corresponds to the length of a lateral edge ofthe aperture.
 14. The arrangement as claimed in claim 13, furthercomprising a peripheral contour which is composed of a semicircular arcand the flatter semi-elliptical arc.
 15. The arrangement as claimed inclaim 11, further comprising a rectangular aperture with longer andshorter lateral edges, wherein the length of the longer lateral edge ofthe aperture corresponds to the length of at least one lateral edge ofthe locking portion.
 16. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, whereinthe largest dimension of the peripheral contour corresponds to thelength of the longer lateral edge of the aperture.
 17. The arrangementas claimed in claim 11, further comprising a peripheral contour which,based upon a rectangle with a length corresponding to the length of theshorter lateral edge of the aperture, has instead of two cornersopposing curvatures, the radius of which corresponds to half the lengthof the shorter lateral edge of the aperture.
 18. The arrangement asclaimed in claim 11, wherein the stop knob is elastically mounted. 19.The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the stop knob has across-section which deviates from the circle cross-section.
 20. A methodfor assembling a door lock of a front loading door of a laundryappliance having a front panel, the method comprising the acts of:inserting the door lock with a locking portion into an aperture on thefront panel; and rotating the door lock into its operating position andlocking the door lock in the operating position on the front panel.